Economist

Can you analyse complex information?
Are you comfortable working on multiple projects at one time?
Do you feel comfortable communicating results to senior colleagues, including policy teams?
If so, we'd love to hear from you!
This role allows the post holder to take responsibility for delivering economist support and high-quality analysis for policy making.
Analysis is at the core of policy and is highly sought after, to support DVSA’s policy teams and Ministers in ensuring effective evidence-based decisions., The role holder will have considerable space to use their experience and skills to shape the analytical programme and enable the policy team to gain a deeper understanding of the evidence underpinning the decisions being taken. They will work closely with other analytical and policy colleagues to ensure high quality analytical outputs.
This role will have close links with analytical and professional contacts within DVSA, Department for Transport and the cross-government community.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to;
+ Communicating analysis to senior colleagues including policy teams and leading on presentations.
+ Providing leadership for a portfolio of economic analysis in your policy areas
+ Manage and plan a portfolio of work which ranges from Impact Assessments / De Minimis Assessments (DMAs); to advisory roles, or lighter-touch, creative analysis
+ Undertaking in-house economic analysis and leading work with policy colleagues on complex cases
For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate Pack., This role can be based in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham or Swansea, your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.
If you are a member of GES, we will badge you to this grade at interview.
Please use the CV part of your application to advise if you are already a member of GES.
Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
About Us
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.
We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
+ Make roads safer.
+ Improve services for our customers.
+ Make road transport greener and healthier.
+ Harness the potential of technology and data.
+ Grow and level up the economy.
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website., You will need to meet the qualification requirements for GES professional membership, as outlined in the Government Economic Service guidance -
Government Economic Service - Membership
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-government-economic-service/about/membership
To apply, you must :
• have a first or upper second-class honours degree in economics (or international equivalent), or a postgraduate degree in economics. If it is a joint degree, at least 50% of the course modules must be in economics.
• have studied both macroeconomics and microeconomics., + Building and managing effective working relationships with people from a range of disciplines and across organisational boundaries
+ Communicating complex technical subjects to a range of audiences, including Ministers and/or other senior stakeholders
Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words, we recommend that you please draft 250 words per point.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The sift is due to take place 30 September - 01 October 2024.
Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 14 October 2024
This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
+ An interview and a presentation/ technical assessment.
As part of the technical assessment for this role you will be assessed against:
The Government Economic Service (GES) Technical Framework.
Further details around this can be found in the 'Technical' section of the advert and in the attached Candidate Pack.
If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You can read more about Success Profiles here.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes., Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

To thrive in this role, you have experience of scoping, designing, and delivering economic analysis to influence policy decisions. You have experience of building and managing effective working relationships with people, from a range of disciplines and across organisational boundaries.
You are comfortable communicating complex technical subjects to a range of audiences, including senior stakeholders. You are able to ensure that appropriate resources are available and are reassessed to ensure performance can be maintained.
You have experience of project management and in application of economic theory. You have a good understanding of economic appraisal and how it is applied., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Delivering at Pace

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Government Economic Service Technical Framework - Application of Knowledge
+ Government Economic Service Technical Framework - Analysis of Data
+ Government Economic Service Technical Framework - Effective communication

Alongside your salary of £40,808, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency contributes £11,822 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
+ Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
+ 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday
+ Latest IT and Tech devices
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
+ Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
+ Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
+ Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing
+ Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers